Lessons

When Kelly's kids were little I used to visit and tell her that when I grew up I wanted to be just like her.  She was a patient mother, teaching her children empathy and responsibility while supporting their soccer careers and reading Harry Potter with them every night.  I was her kids' crazy friend who came for a weekend and played shark-in-the-water on the couch cushions in the living room and helped Zachary and Josh create imaginary scenes in the sandbox and laughed when they danced and performed Shania Twain songs from the fireplace hearth.  And a decade later, Kelly is showing up at my house and bringing my kids toys and love and attention and joy, and they love her just as much as I do.  We are so blessed.

Some lessons learned from my much wiser friend who has had many more years of practice being a mom:

Having an adult conversation is actually possible if they have new toys.

ANYTHING can become a toy.

Being a good mommy sometimes requires wine.

When all else fails, give them food.